Great athleticism doesnt just happen from the neck down and great minds dont only rely on everything above the shoulders. There is clear and growing proof that the relationship between our minds and bodies are key for reaching our real potential.

This applies to professionalgamingas well. The image of the overweight, out of breathgameris outdated. Todays competitivegamershave to operate at the best of their abilities, which means they must focus equally on their mental and physical wellbeing.

I am a firm believer in the Latin phrase Mens sana in corpore sano, which translates as a healthy mind in a healthy body, says Dimitri Detrony Hadjipaschali, a Counter-Strike progamerplaying for esports group Bravado. In short, this suggests that physical exercise is important for your psychological well-being. With that said, I know that getting into an active routine can be challenging, but whether or not one enjoys it it should certainly be a part of your lifestyle!

Bravado, sponsored by Alienware and Intel, is South Africas leading esports group. It emphasises players being at their physical and mental best. This has led to a collaboration with Professor Peet du Toit, who specializes in Exercise- and Neuroscience research at the University of Pretoria. His work makes it clear that the mind-body relationship is one of the most critical components for success.

The combination of brain flexibility, brain fitness, health-related fitness and skill-related fitness is what creates top performance. Exercise plays an important role in brain health and neuroplasticity. But a healthy body also follows a balanced brain. If you focus on both, you get incredible results.

The rise of Neuro-Agility

Prof du Toit promotes Neuro-Agility, a new innovation in neuroscience that can help develop the super learning powers people require. Neuro-Agility focuses on the six drivers that optimize brain health and performance and its impact on seven neurological components of learning, thinking and cognitive processes. These two dimensions will have an impact on performance of individuals and determine their competitive advantage.

One would thinkgamingdoesnt qualify. Games have a reputation for making our brains lazy and slow. But Prof du Toit disagrees with this, citing academic research that reveals the benefits ofgaming:

Strategy video games have shown promise in improving cognitive control, reasoning, and higher-order cognitive skills, and stave off dementia and Alzheimers disease as long as possible.Gamingmay also be a viable treatment for depression and mild cognitive impairment. However, cognitive training should come second to physical activity programs when it comes to improving cognition, brain function and structure.

This last point is very important and why Bravado has asked Prof du Toit to use his insights to improve the performance of its esports athletes. This is accomplished through several ways which can be subdivided into different areas: brain fitness, stress coping skills, sleep, movement, mindset, hydration, body weight, resting heart rate, wellness, pain, performance, energy levels and brain foods.

Using a program designed around these factors, Bravadosgamershave access to numerous exercises that help engage their minds and improve mental elasticity. This not only includes boosting brain flexibility and promoting positive information channels a crucial factor for brain health but also balancing brain waves and promoting the use of both brain hemispheres.

Most people are homolaterally fit, which means they mostly only use one hemisphere of their brain, Prof du Toit explained. We are capable of being bilaterally fit using both hemispheres. There are ways to train for this, as well as to improve focus, concentration and shifting mental gears.

The big brains of Bravado

In the cutthroat world of professionalgaming, split seconds can determine victory or defeat. By using the research and products developed by Prof du Toit and his team, Bravado will gain an edge over the competition.

Having a balanced lifestyle which includes physical and social activity alongside yourgamingcertainly does improve your gameplay, said Dimitri. Needless to say, it also improves your general health, which is always good! Being physically active aids your overall mindset and state of mind. This is especially the case if you are making a career out of esports or even playing semi-professionally. Exercise improves your personal skill, boosts your confidence as well as your ambition and drive.

Bravado members are being assessed for their individual Neuro Agility (NAP) and Body Agility (BAP) Profiles. These are the benchmarks from which they then improve their performance, using the Limitless You Neurolink Peak Performance Program (LYNPPP). The program includes brain and body agility activities, many of which can be done in the comfort of ones bedroom, as well as nutritional products thatwill, among many benefits, optimize performance, enhance cognitive ability, reduce stress, reduce inflammation, increased energy levels, give resistance to fatigue and impact productivity. Enhanced cognitive ability will result in increased receptiveness, perceptiveness, mental alertness, memory, attention, focussing and energy levels.

NAP, BAP and LYNPPP were born and are grounded in applied neuroscience, said Prof du Toit. These arent just more instruments with an added neuroscience flavour. It is a predictive analysis that serves as a framework for professionals and individuals in talent development and performance improvement. It can identify potential, select talent, develop talent, improve engagement, promote brain health, minimize risk for human error, improve happiness and liftgamingperformance.

Any serious esports competitor will agree that you have to look after both your mind and body to be at your best. Top players dont just game but participate in a range of activities that promote their physical health, stimulate their minds and strengthen their social connections. Such habits, combined with a good diet and focused improvement through something such as LYNPPP, are what create champions.

If we want to be the best, we have to outlearn, outthink, outtrainand out-create our competition, said Andreas Hadjipaschali, CEO of BravadoGaming. The collaboration with Prof. du Toit and LYNPPP will help create that edge for Bravado.

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In its continued mission to foster aging in place, Parker Jewish Institute is enhancing its relationships with Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs).

Supported by government funding, UJA-Federation of New York and other partners, including Parker, these communities typically encompass a sizable population of adults, ages 60 and older. These adults want to enjoy healthy, active, safe and independent lives in their neighborhood.

NORCs may be based in a single building or housing complex, or an age-integrated neighborhood, including those with single-family homes.

Parker works with NORCs in the region, including NORC WOW (Naturally Occurring Retirement Community With Out Walls), a program of Common point Queens NORC Supportive Services Programs, with offices in the Sam Field Center in Little Neck, where participants have access to Case Management Services, which include social work and nursing services.

With this partnership, Parker provides a myriad of services for older adults living in Floral Park, New Hyde Park, and Bellerose.

These offerings include in-home nurse visits, the monitoring of chronic health conditions and medications, immunizations and health screenings. Other services comprise health-care system advocacy, health and diet consultations, home safety assessments and caregiver education and support.

We are proud to partner with NORCs, in particular with Commonpoint Queens NORC Supportive Services Program, which is located right in our backyard, Parkers Assistant Vice President of Corporate Outreach Lina Scacco said. In these areas, senior residents can readily access the kind of services they may need to live independently for as long as possible. And through our relationships with NORCs, we can share information about additional Parker services, as well as other health care resources, they might find valuable -either for themselves or a family member, while at the same time help residents remain safely in their home.

Working with Licensed Social Workers and Registered Nurses, NORC WOW residents benefit from home visits, counseling and family support; long-term planning; information about Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare Part D, and related matters; and assistance with securing and understanding entitlements.

And there are additional advantages, including monthly luncheons, exercise and wellness classes, community seminars, intergenerational programs, volunteer options and assistance with maintenance referrals.

Many of these offerings, through Case Management Social Work Services, offered through the Commonpoint Queens NORCs, provide the welcomed opportunity to socialize.

Combining Social Work and Registered Nursing Services not only enhances the overall wellbeing of NORC members but gives peace of mind to the many independent residents that reside in those communities. They provide an extra level of support and resource that typically they may not have been aware of, as some of these residents are homebound and isolated. Its a partnership that promotes collaboration, teamwork and a stronger sense of community for all.

By partnering with NORCs, Parker helps older adults not only maintain their independence but also improve their quality of life. And by participating in the program, older adults avoid unnecessary hospital and nursing homestays.

Participants and their families also gain access to information about Parkers extensive community-based resources, including Social Adult Day Care, Home Health Care, Medical House Calls, Palliative Care and Hospice.

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Parker Jewish Institute helps communities age in place - ROP Common - The Island Now

Lauren Quinn, University of Illinois Published 7:03 p.m. CT Nov. 5, 2019

Achieving an appropriate calcium balance in dairy cows is critical near calving, but not only to ensure a healthy transition to lactation.(Photo: Courtesy University of Illinois)

URBANA, Ill. Achieving an appropriate calcium balance in dairy cows is critical near calving, but not only to ensure a healthy transition to lactation. According to a new study from the University of Illinois, calcium added to acidified prepartum diets can improve a whole suite of postpartum outcomes, including lower rates of uterine infection and quicker return to ovulation.

We know that calcium metabolism in dairy cows is very important. Theres research saying that 50% of multiparous cows (those on their second or third pregnancy)suffer some sort of deficiency of calcium, saysPhil Cardoso, associate professor in theDepartment of Animal Sciencesat Illinois.

Cardoso explains that the common practice of feeding an acidified diet prior to calving forces the cow to manufacture and redistribute calcium from her bones. This activation of internal calcium production carries the cow through to lactation, when she resumes consuming calcium in her diet.

Producers commonly feed negative DCAD diets in the weeks before calving, usually supplemented with a small amount of calcium (1% of dry matter). The practice is typically enough to avoid full-blown milk fever, or clinical symptoms of calcium deficiency. But Cardoso says there has been little guidance on how much to acidify the diet to remobilize the optimal amount of calcium and avoid excretion in the urine. He also says no one has tested the effects of adding different concentrations of dietary calcium to the fully-acidified DCAD diet.

Calcium is important for many cellular processes. Without adequate calcium concentrations, tissues dont work optimally and are subject to inflammation and susceptible to disease. We wanted to test whether an increased amount of calcium 2% of DM added to an acidified diet during the last month of pregnancy could prevent those issues and lead to more favorable reproductive outcomes, Cardoso says.

His team fed 76 multiparous Holstein cows one of three diets in the month before calving: a control, non-acidified DCAD diet with no added calcium; an acidified DCAD diet (-24 milliequivalents per 100 grams of dry matter) with no added calcium; and an acidified DCAD diet (-24 milliequivalents) with added calcium at 2% of dietary dry matter. The DCAD formulation was mixed with typical forages and corn silage in prepartum diets. After calving, all cows were switched to a typical postpartum diet with 1% of dietary dry-matter calcium.

The researchers then monitored changes in the blood, uterus, ovaries, and pregnancy status at two and four weeks post-calving.

There was a tendency for cows fed the negative DCAD + calcium diet to get pregnant at a higher rate than cows fed the control diet, but we need to test that in a larger population to be sure of that result, Cardoso says.

What he is sure of is that cows fed the diet with added calcium took less time to ovulate and had lower levels of uterine infection than cows on the other diets. This was likely due to the fact that cows on the calcium-added diet had more tight junction proteins in the uterine lining; these proteins bind adjacent cells, preventing a leaky tissue that could allow pathogens to enter the bloodstream during calving.

Ours is the first study showing tight junction proteins even exist in the uterus of the dairy cow, and also clearly indicates that added calcium improves their number and function, Cardoso says.

Cows fed the calcium-added diet also had more favorable disease-fighting antioxidants in the blood and more glands in the uterine lining, which keep the organ clean and produce hormones that can kick-start ovulation. That could be why we saw better pregnancy rates, Cardoso says.

He points out that many producers have been using a negative DCAD strategy for decades, but arent acidifying the diet enough, taking it to only -5 milliequivalents and not adding calcium, or adding it at only 1% of dietary dry matter.

We are saying that you need to go to -20 milliequivalents and up to 2% of dietary dry matter for calcium, he says.

The message to the dairy industry is clear: A negative DCAD diet with added calcium is helpful not only to get through the transition to lactation. It can help improve future pregnancy outcomes in the herd. Cardoso wants to get the message to both nutritionists and veterinarians, who hed like to see talking to each other more often to create strategies for improved reproduction.

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Its almost inevitable that you've scrolled past a sweaty selfie of a friend, co-worker or high school classmate bragging about their WOD and professing their love for CrossFit.

CrossFit became a super popular workout a few years ago when box gyms began popping up not only across the country, but the world. CrossFit is practiced by members of over 13,000 affiliated gyms in 120 countries. In the U.S. alone, there are over 7,000 gyms offering the program. Its estimated that there are roughly 4 million CrossFitters, and its members are so devoted to the competitive approach to fitness that the community has even been described as cult-like.

With all this publicity, you may have wondered if this program could work for you. Before you jump into the box (ahem, thats CrossFit speak for gym), heres what you need to know about the workout craze and how to determine if it's right for you.

A form of high intensity interval training, CrossFit is a strength and conditioning workout that is made up of functional movement performed at a high intensity level.

These movements are actions that you perform in your day-to-day life, like squatting, pulling, pushing etc. Many workouts feature variations of squats, push-ups, and weight lifting that last for predetermined amounts of time to help build muscles. This varies from a traditional workout that may tell you how many reps to do over any period of time.

CrossFit Journal notes that the workouts are so effective because of their emphasis on the elements of load, distance and speed, which help participants develop high levels of power. The workout may utilize different equipment to accomplish this, including kettle bells, rowers and bikes, medicine balls, speed ropes, rings and plyo boxes.

CrossFit is similar to Orange Theory in that there is a standard "workout of the day" (WOD) that all members complete on the same day. The daily workout can be found on their website (which is always free), along with a guide to all the specialized lingo that is used. There is also a substitutions section on their FAQ page that suggests places to find level appropriate workouts. CrossFit is universally scalable and modifiable for all fitness levels, so it can be tailored to meet your goals and current fitness level, says Tracey Magee, owner and head coach of CrossFit Clan Performance Center.

You may have a preconceived notion of the type of person who belongs in a CrossFit gym (relatively young, jacked, etc.), but Tony Caravajal, certified L-2 CrossFit trainer with RSP Nutrition, strongly believes that CrossFit is hugely beneficial for the full spectrum of ages and athletic capabilities, starting with adolescents. CrossFit Kids classes are a fantastic way to help a child develop balance, coordination, as well as proper motor skills. He says that these skills are a fantastic way to put a child ahead of the game as well as instill a love for a healthily lifestyle.

Patrick Zeiher, owner of CrossFit Indian Trail, notes that one reason CrossFit is so beneficial for all ages is that the physical needs of a person vary by degree not by kind. We can literally have a 60-year-old athlete doing a similar variation of a workout as a 25-year-old competitive athlete, he says. Their needs don't vary by kind; in other words, they both need to be able to squat to a toilet, pick something up off the floor, or get themselves off the floor. The 25-year-old should just be able to do it all faster, says Zeiher.

Another essential element of CrossFit is the spirit of sports and competition. Many CrossFit gyms use strategic actions, like keeping a score board and posting winners to social media, as motivation rather than a reward system. So if youre someone who is motivated by competition to push yourself physically, CrossFit may prove a great exercise for you that drives fast results.

As with any high intensity workout, there is some risk involved. One study found that 20 percent of the CrossFit participants surveyed injured themselves while doing CrossFit endorsed workouts.

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The injury rate of CrossFit is about 20 percent, meaning 20 percent of people who perform CrossFit branded workouts regularly will be injured at some point, which is high for a recreational activity," says Cuyler Hudson, a physical therapist at Finish Line. "I personally see CrossFitters regularly in my physical therapy practice. Injuries will usually occur as an athlete fatigues, which causes their form to also fatigue, causing the load to be shifted from the areas it is supposed to be to areas that cannot handle the stress as well.

You may hear several acronyms and words thrown around during a class, either verbally or written on a board with the workout for the day. Here are some of the most common:

WOD: Workout of the Day

EMOM: Every Minute on the Minute

AMRAP: As Many Reps as Possible

Box: A CrossFit gym with the bare necessities to perform all the WODs.

Ladder: A series of exercises where you increase the number of reps by 1 each time they are performed. (i.e. 5 squats, then 6 squats, then 7 squats )

Zone Diet: The diet that CrossFit endorses. This diet is based on macronutrients.

SQ: Squat

PR: Personal Record. This refers to when you reach your personal best in a given exercise. For example, completing a certain number of push-ups in a minute.

Hero WOD: These workouts are named after first responders who have died in the line of duty. These workouts are especially difficult to remind CrossFitters of the sacrifices that these men and women made for their country.

Magee suggests that you communicate with your coach any limitations or restrictions you have, especially if youre just getting back into a workout routine or are a beginner. Once a person has been through their initial assessment, a qualified coach will help them determine the any modifications, such as particular movements or the volume of training for a particular workout, she says.

If you are a beginner, youre in luck. CrossFit accounts for this sector of the population. Some sort of beginner or foundations class is highly recommended for newcomers. In these classes, they'll learn the basics and improve fitness at their own pace. Once they learn the basic foundational skills and build their confidence, they can move into regular classes, explains Magee. A less experienced or very de-conditioned individual would be advised to start with fewer classes per week (usually 2-3), until their bodies have adapted to the new movements and the volume of training.

Even if you arent quite ready to jump full force into CrossFit, there are effective elements of the workout that you can incorporate into your current exercise routine.

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What is CrossFit? And is it right for you? Here's what you need to know - NBC News

How to Shake up Your Diet in Seattle - Thrillist Courtesy of Taylor Shellfish Farms

Keeping up with the latest and greatest of a citys food scene can take a toll on your body. Restaurant food in general runs a bit heavy and those Instagram darlings tend to be the kinds of menu items that particularly pack on the paunch. But Seattles idyllic setting -- nestled between the pristine waters of Puget Sound, the lush farmland of the Skagit Valley, and the acclaimed orchards on the east side of the Cascades -- provides the city with fresh ingredients that creative chefs can turn into healthful dishes without even having to try. Yes, Seattle is full of places where you can eat well while eating your way to wellness, and weve rounded up a few of our favorite dishes to set you on that path.

In some cities, the hot happy hour bar serves chicken wings or deep-fried cheese sticks. In Seattle, theres no better post-work snack than shellfish. Oyster happy hours abound around the city, and theres always at least one oyster on discount at Taylor, where there are also drink deals (from 2-5pm or 3-6pm, depending on location). But the real value is in the Salish Sampler (available at the Queen Anne and Bellevue locations), a giant platter that will lure your co-workers from their usual haunts with a variety of local oysters, chilled prawns, sliced sashimi, and whatever else is looking good at the raw bar. Because Taylor -- a fifth-generation shellfish farm -- also grows most of the shellfish themselves, its as fresh as possible, straight from low tide to the high bar tables.

Every meal at Vif, a wine merchant/cafe, feels like self care. Its the kind of place where people stop to chat with their barista or camp out for hours with their work -- everyday. In part, thats possible because its the kind of place where the food leaves you feeling great, both physically and about what you just ordered. That includes the most satisfying way to start the day: a bowl of green lentils enriched by a seven-minute egg plopped in the center and the tangy tangle of pickled fennel on top.

When people hear that the best ice cream in Seattle comes from a vegan shop, reactions tend to range from somewhat dubious to really, really sure that everyone is wrong. However, the textures and flavors pop in the nut- and coconut-based concoctions from this partnership between a pastry chef and a ballerina-turned-vegan cafe owner. But perhaps their most impressive feat of frozen dessert wizardry is the smooth sorbet with the richness of beet juice, sweetness of berries, and just that tiny hint of rosewater romance.

Ethiopian cuisine, of which Seattle has a fair amount, tends to go well with health-focused eating: the staple starch is injera, a bread made from the high-iron, gluten-free ancient grain called teff. Beyond that, a calendar full of fasts abstaining from meat and animal products in Ethiopian culture means that there are always tons of vegetarian -- and often vegan -- options on every menu. The vegetarian combo at Jebena, like at many places, includes a scoop of shiro wot (a garbanzo-flour stew), turmeric-tinted cabbage, red and yellow lentils, a clump of spinach, and a salad. But Jebenas versions of these foods, made from scratch by owner Martha Seyoum and her family, are easily some of the best in the city, with clear flavors and varied textures, along with her incredible service. Call ahead to request all-teff injera (gluten-free) or to see if shell be pouring coffee from the jebena, the traditional pot for which the restaurant is named.

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Southeast Asias vegetable-heavy cuisine creates an easy go-to for folks in search of a salad in Seattle. But among the wide variety of Thai and Vietnamese restaurants, this Rainier Valley gem has long stood out for its careful preparations of Isaan food -- the cuisine of Northern Thailand and neighboring Laos. But unlike the low-key versions of the hand-shredded underripe fruit salad youll find in Thai and Vietnamese restaurants, this Lao version packs a wallop of flavor with the addition of padaek, or fragrant fish paste.

Since well before the arrival of the ubiquitous poke bowl restaurants, this humble downtown lunch shop has served the best raw fish bowl around. While the menu includes a few dozen ways to order protein over rice, the hwe dup bap -- sashimi-style fish with spicy Korean sauce -- keeps things fresh and healthy. Every bowl includes lightly steamed vegetables and the option for brown rice instead of white (or double vegetables). While plenty of people in the always-long line (dont worry, it moves quickly) might be seduced by the meatier options, the raw fish tastes -- and feels -- the best.

Each of chef Mutsuko Somas bowls of soba noodles contain endless depths of comfort. Inspired by Washingtons big buckwheat crop, Soma returned to Japan to master the art of making noodles from its nutritious seeds. Now, at her Fremont noodle bar, she serves up bowl after bowl with subtle, savory broth. The menu changes with the seasons, but few of the noodle options rival the matsutake bowl, made from the earthy, elusive pine mushroom. Brightened with yuzu zest and filled out with mitsuba (a leafy green), and leeks, the bowl screams warmth without the unhealthfulness that usually accompanies so-called comfort foods.

The size of a large hallway, Anar is a juice bar and health-focused lunch spot from the same folks whose Mamnoon, Mbar, and Mamnoon Street have received much critical acclaim. But you dont hear much about Anar, and that has nothing to do with the quality. The little spot churns out fresh, cold-pressed juices and bowls of vegetarian Middle Eastern food, like a chickpea stew called balila. Spiced with cumin, turmeric, and Aleppo pepper, and brightened with lemon and fresh parsley, its thick and filling -- especially so with the optional dollop of yogurt.

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8 Healthy Dishes You Need to Try in Seattle - Thrillist